We're relieved to arrive in Buenos Aires after 3 hours on a plane rather than about 48 hrs on a bus for obvious reasons! Once settled into our hostel in San Telmo (up some very narrow stairs, a real challenge to get our enormous packs up) we head out to find some steak. The area we're in seems to have a really cool edge to it - we find a group of drummers in the local square who attract more and more dancers and there's a good number of bars and restaurants. We're not quite o Argentinian time, finding steak at the rather early 930, but we both enjoy a quality bit of bife de lomo, which doesnt have the layer of fat that makes a bife de chorizo so tasty, but is still prime stuff.
Next day the sun is shining and it is warm! A joyous event after being chilly thorughout Patagonia, and we head out for an explore. San Telmo is equally as hip by day with lots of clothes boutiques, designer homewares and antique shopw in amongst galleries set up by local artists. Further into the centre, we find much more European architecture, many churches and a huge cathedral amongst the government buildings including the famous pink house. After a stroll back home, we head out to a local place lauded by all the guidebooks, Desnivel, and have possibly the best steak yet. Fuelled by more red meat and red wine, we stop off for another glass on the way home, which all of sudden has turned into 4. Its still pretty early by BA standards when we fall into bed at about 2am.
Sore heads all round the next day, but Sunday is when San Telmo is rammed full of an antique street market. In amongst all of the stalls and vendors bands are playing, street theatre is up and running and there are people dancing the tango for all our entertainment. Its a shame that we're feeling so rough, but after a steaky interlude that proves even the most basic cut used for a steak sandwich is far superior to anything back home, we manage to find the energy to head up to the cultural centre where local groups are putting on some open air music and dancing. The tango is great to watch - no idea if they're doing it to a high level or what, but it looks good - much better than on Strictly Come Dancing anyway.
We've discovered that the little hotel next door to our hostel offers bigger en suite rooms with a TV for less money (and without the narrow stairs to clamber up), so moving next door is the first order of the day. Then we head off to Recoleta, one of the more upmarket boroughs, and to the cemetry, which may seem like an odd place to visit, but its firmly on the tourist trail as the home of Evita's grave. There are also 100s of enormous 2 or 3 storey sacorphagi housing the bodies of all the great and the good families of Buenos Aires. Its an interesting place to potter around, if a little eerie. Its also home to lots and lots of cats - some much less friendly than others.
Back on the streets, we think we were targeted by a group of scammers, who came rushing to our aid when we suddenly were covered on our backs by some liquid, that we were told was bird poo. Now these must have been some pretty enormous birds, and with people mopping us up, it was definitely hands on pockets time keeping them away from our valuables. All in all a bit odd, but no flies on us, you've got to get up early to get one over on us, and all valuables still in place. So it did put a little of a downer on events as we felt inclined to head home to have a shower and clean up.
Admitting that youre a bit steak-ed out in Argentina is a bit like going without pasta in Italy or sliced white bread in the North East, but we were a bit steak-ed out. Fortunately we'd spied a great Arabic restaurant called Habibi a couple of blocks along from home, and head there for some great veggies. The quality of produce here is just second to none.
Next day though, we're back on the beef hunt and head for lunch to a place called La Cabrera in the upmarket Palermo district, which comes out top of many online lists of best steakhouse in BA, so we're hoping for a treat. We werent disappointed. Stuffed full, but very very happy. Imagine a joint of beef for about 4 people that you'd roast on a Sunday. This was served to us for a Tuesday lunch. The most enormous but juicy and succulent bife de chorizo ever. We'd also ordered a chicken skewer too, which also was the best bit of chicken ever. Simply cooked, meat like this just cant be beaten, and the 12 or so small rammekins of various condiments alongside made this the best meal in the world ever. Its a shame BA is so far away from home, as we'd happily book a weekend away on the basis of this place. Its all we can do to stumble back home, and spend an evening in front of the TV. Like everywhere else in the world Friends is on some channel that we find. We've watched episodes all over the globe and yet to see one twice - yet!
Our final day in BA has come around all too quickly, and, still full of yesterdays blowout, we head down to Puerto Madero, a modern redevelopment of the port area with 5* hotels, bars and restaurants in a Darling Harbour sort of set up. Its a great place to wander, have a coffee, and then settle down to while away the afternoon in a bar over a couple of beers. It kind of makes Buenos Aires complete. There is the trendy, artistic San Telmo area, alongside the main central area full of European architecture, and shops. Then the upmarket areas of Recoleta and Palermo where the expats have found their homes, and then this modern vibrant harbourside. Argentina was somewhere I have been looking forward to visiting for a long time, and it does not fail to deliver. Having beef and red wine as the staple diet is a real treat as the quality is second to none. And Buenos Aires is quite possibly our favourite city of the trip offering everything you could want from a city to keep you entertained for a long time. It should definitely be on everyone's must visit list, and a place that hopefully we will return to one day soon.
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